Agitating cutter for dredges



Sept. l, 1931. w. R. ELLIS AGITATING CUTTER FOR DREDGES Filed Aug. 221950 glvvuentoz W/u/AM /c 51L /5.

W1 w w Patented Sept. 1, 1931 HILL-1AM ROGER ELLIS, OF VJASHINGTCN,DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ACTITATING CUTTER FOR DREDGES Application filedAugust 2-2, 1930. Serial No. 477,047.

This invention relates to cutting or excavating devices for dredges, andspecifically to guard means for preventing clogging of the suction pipe.

One object of this invention is to provide simple and effective guardmeans for preventing clogging of the suction pipe in a cutter head of adredge or the like. Another object is to provide a device of this typewhich is economical to manufacture and which may be readily installed onany type of cutter head. A further object is to provide a novel securingmeans arranged to assist in agitating and breaking up the materialentering the suction pipe. Other objects relating to details ofconstruct-ion and economies of manufacture will appear hereinafter.

in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of theimproved cutter and suction pipe assembled on a dredge ladder.

Fig. a perspective view of the cutter and guard.

Fig. 3 a sectional View through a cutter head illustrating one method ofsecuring the guard to the blades.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modifiedconstruction.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the guard member shown in Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the ladder 10, which is mounted in anysuitable manner on a dredge, provided with a suction head 11 having abearing 12 for the cutter shaft 13. A cutter 14 is mounted on the shaft13 for rotation therewith to form the cutter assembly. The cutter 14consists essentially of a plurality of blades 15 extending from a hub 16and secured to a ring 17. The ring 17 preferably bears through arenewable wear strip 18 on the outer periphery of the suction head.

A suction pipe 19 is carried by the ladder 10 and has its end secured tothe suction head 11. A short pipe section 20 fixed to the head forms acontinuation of the suction pipe and is provided with an opening 21within the confines of the blades 15 which is preferably beveled, asshown.

A guard ring 22 is secured to the blades 15 for rotation therewith andis arranged to extend across the opening 21. The ring is supported byspokes 23 which are preferably formed integral with the blades 15. Thering may be provided with apertures 24 to receive studs 25 for securingthe same to the spokes, and preferably has integral countersunkprojections 26 on the inner surface to receive the heads of the studs.Any other type of securing means, such as bolts passing through flangeson the ends of the spokes 23, may be used if desired.

In accordance with the usual practice the ladder 10 is mounted on adredge and is arranged to be lowered into engagement with the materialto be removed. The cutter shaft 13 is rotated to break up the material,and suction is applied in any suitable manner to the pipe 19 to drawwater and the material loosened by the cutter 14 therethrough. The ring22 passing across the opening 21 baffles the opening as shown in thedrawings and thereby prevents entry into the suction pipe of stones,sticks, and the like sufficiently large to cause clogging. The rotationof the ring 22 with the cutter 14 carries any such material which maylodge thereagainst away from the inlet opening 21 and prevents anyaccumulation of material which might tend to clog the opening. When theprojections 26 are employed to receive the heads of the studs 25 theseprojections assist in I carrying excessively large pieces away from theinlet opening. The ring 22 and projections 25 also operatetobreak 0Esticks and the like entering the suction pipe, and to crush or grindlumps or stones which might become lodged betwen the suction pipe andthe ring.

A slightly modified type of device is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. 4 In thisform, the suction head 11' is formed with a relatively short bearing 12for the cutter shaft 13, and the suction inlet pipe 20, iscorrespondingly shorter. A guard ring .22 is supported across theopening 20 ofthe suction pipe by means of spokes 23 secured to a hub 27,the ring 22 and spokes 23- forming a wheel. The latter is keyed orotherwise suitably secured to the cutter shaft 13 for rotationtherewith.It will be evident that the operation of this form of the device issubstantially the same as that previously described, except that thebulk of material entering the suction pipe passes outside the ring 22.The modified construction is more particularly adapted for use on thesmaller cutters embodying a shorter bearing for the cutter shaft.

Although the rings 22 and 22 have been shown ascontinuous, they may, ifdesired, be interrupted at one or more points, the size and number ofthe interruptions depending upon the size of the installation, since itis only necessary that the opening be baffled sufiiciently to accomplishthe desired results.

' It will be evident that the improved guard may be readily employedwith any type of cutter including blades for loosening ma terial to betaken up by the suction pipe, and that its use will prevent clogging ofthe pipe either by large pieces of material or by an accumulation ofmaterial.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailedcharacter in. order that the invention may be fully disclosed, it is tobe understood that various rearrangements of parts and modifications ofstructural detail may be resorted to without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a dredging apparatus, in combination, a suction pipe having anopen end, a cutter rotatable about an axis spaced from the axis of saidpipe and passing around the open end of said pipe, and means positionedacross the open end of said pipe and spaced from the edge thereof insuch a manner as to continuously restrict the effective opening thereofsufficiently to prevent the passage into the pipe of pieces of materialsufficiently large to clog the same, said means being continuouslymovable with said cutter.

2. In combination, a suction pipe having an open end, a cutter assemblyrotatable about the open end of said pipe, and a ring carried by androtatable with said cutter'assembly and positioned inwardly thereof insuch a manner as to continuously pass across the open end of said pipe.

3. In combination, a suction pipe having an open end, a cutter havingits axis substantially parallel with the axis of said pipe and includinga plurality of blades rotatable about the axis of the cutter and passingaround the open end of said pipe, and a ring carried by said blades andpositioned inwardly thereof to pass across the open end of said pipe.

4. In combination, a suction pipe having an open end, a cutter includinga plurality of blades rotatable about an axis spaced from said pipe andpassing around said pipe, spokes carried by and projecting inwardly fromsaid blades, and a ring carried by said spokes and passing the open endof said pipe.

5. In combination, a suction pipe having an open end, a shaft extendingsubstantially parallel with said pipe, a cutter carried by said shaftand passing around the end of said pipe, and a ring carried by saidshaft and passing across the open end of said pipe.

6. in combination, a cutter including a plurality of blades arrangedabout an axis of rotation, spokes projecting inwardly from said blades,a ring having a plurality of apertured projections on the innerperiphery thereof and means passing through said projections forsecuring said ring to said spokes.

7. A dredging apparatus comprising a suction pipe having an open end, ashaft spaced from said pipe, a cutter secured to said shaft andincluding blades rotatable about said pipe, and a wheel secured to saidshaft and including a ring passing across the open end of said pipe.

8. A dredging apparatus comprising a suction pipe having an open end, acutter assembly comprising a shaft spaced from said pipe, having aplurality of blades secured to said shaft and rotatable about said pipe,and a ring carried by said cutter assembly for rotation therewith, saidring being spaced from said shaft and from said blades and beingarranged to pass across the open end of said pipe.

9. Dredging apparatus comprising a suction pipe having an open end, acutter assembly comprising a shaft spaced from the axis of said pipe andhaving a plurality of blades secured to said shaft and rotatabletherewith, said blades having cutting edges and extend ing outwardlyfrom said shaft beyond the line defining the outermost portion of saidpipe, and a ring carried by said cutter assembly for rotation therewith,said ring being spaced from said shaft and from said blades and beingarranged to pass across the open end of said pipe.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 19th day ofAugust, 1930.

' IVILLIAM ROGER ELLIS.

